Sulky-cultivator



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- sULKY GULTIVATOR. No. 424,376.

Patented Mar. 25, 18901.

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SULKY GULIIVATOR.

No. 424,376. Patented Mar. 25, 1890.

@imag-eo SWW/wko@ @saw UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

IVALTER E. TAFT, OF AKRON, OHIO.

SU LKYWCU LTIVATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 424,376, dated March25, 1890. Application tiled January 18, 1890. Serial No. 337,309. (Nomodel.)

To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, I/VALTER E. TAFT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Akron, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Sulky-(hiltivators; andI do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, Which will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in sulky-cultivators; an d theinvention consists in mechanism whereby the Wheels may at the will ofthe operator be turned or adjusted to `travel at an angle, to eitherside of a direct line, or to traverse said line back and forth,according as the row or rows of plants cultivated require suchmovements, and in mechanism whereby the cultivator teeth or shovels maybe simultaneously moved with said Wheels or separately moved withrespect thereto and to each other, all as hereinafter more fullydescribed, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan vieW ot' a cultivatorembodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is afront elevation thereof with partof the frame-Work broken off in sections, so as to more clearly disclosethe important features of the invention. Fig. 3 is avertical centralcross-section of the machine. Fig. 4 is a cross-section, considerablyenlarged, of the central portion of the machine on line a: Fig. 1.. Fig.5 is a plan view, in Whole, of the mechanism shown in section, Fig. 4.Fig. 6 is a perspective View of the form of crosshead shown in Figs. 1,2, 3, and 4, the top plate of which is removed. Fig. '7 is a perspectiveview, looking from the opposite side to that shown in Fig. 6, of amodification of the cross-head.

Referring to the parts of the machine, lO represents the mainsupporting-frame, 11 the Wheels, and 12 the short independent axles.

As before stated, the construction is such as 'to enable the Wheels tobe diverted at the Will of the driver to any desired angle, to a directline, or to the line of travel, and to this end each Wheel has aseparate short axle swiveled O11 a vertical pivot-post 13, (in thisinstance, integral with the axle, though this is not essentiaD-that is.,the two parts may be of separate pieces suitably united.,

Each axle and post 12 13 is supported on a bracket or hanger 14, securedrigidly to the cross bar or rail l5 of the main frame. These brackets orhangers have their lower extremities formed With horizontal projectionshaving eyes for the spindles of the posts 13, and at their upper endsperforated ears 16 for supporting the upper ends of said posts, so thatthe said posts With their axles are free to turn on these spindles astheir pivot-points.

Each axle extends inwardly a sufficient distance from the post 13 tobring the extremity'within convenient reach of the feet of the driver,and a treadle 17 is formed thereon for the purpose of enabling thedriver to turn the wheels by his feet in any desired direction, as theconditions of the Work may require. To do this so that the Wheels shallchange direction together and simultaneously, the pivot-posts 13 areprovided with short arms 17 near or at their upper ends, and linkrods 13connect the said arms With a perforated flange 19 on the cross-head 20.

TWO forms of cross-head are shown in Figs. 6 and '7, both of Which havethe flange 19 described. This cross-head is adapted to lie against theinner surface of the bar or rail 15 of the main frame and is providedWith ahslot from end to end, or nearly so, through which end the bar 15and angular bolt 21 pass and serve to support the said head on said barin such manner that it will be held in proper relation to said bar andthe attached parts and yet be free to slide on the bolt, as the servicerequires.

l Obviously the two Wheels, connect-ed as shown and described, throughtheir axles 12, pivot-posts 13, connecting-links 13, and commoncross-head 20, will, when moved through the treadles, change theirdirectionor angle together, and, so far, this construction serves onepurpose of the invention satisfactorily. New, in order that acorresponding and equivalent movement maybesimultaneously transmitted tothe cultivator-shovels, I provide each shovel-bar or drag-bar 22 with avertical guide bar or standard 23, pivoted at its upper end to the mainframe and Working freely in a cleat or keeper 24'on the shovel-bar, sothat IOO said bar, while held in the desired line laterally, may be freeto rise and fall or to have free up and down movement, according to thecondition of the ground or other conditions encountered in the usualwork. To determine the positions of the shovel-bar in relation to oneanother or to the work, as well as to fix them inany desired position,rods 24: are fastened to the standards 23 and held adjustable at theiropposite ends in ears 25 (on the cross-head in Fig. 7 or the rack-barselsewhere) by set-screws or other suitablelocking mechanism. By eitheror both of these constructions the shovel-bars are fixed to reciprocatethe movements of the wheels, and thus by operating the treadles, asbefore described, the driver has perfect control, through his feet, ofthe wheels and the shovels, and the cross-head is the central mediumthrough which this joint operation is effected.

If it be desired to have a still further control over the shovel-barsthan is provided in the foregoing description, the construction shown inthe main figures may be employed. Thus, supposing that the respectiveshovelbars are set in respect to one another by the adjustment providedby rods and ears 24 25, and it is found necessary to increase ordiminish the space between the said bars, either effect or movement maybe readily and instantly accomplished by the driver on his seat, withoutstopping, by simply turning` the crank 26. This crank is connected withthe shovel-bars through apinion 27, set centrally in the recess 28 inthe lateral flange or lip 19 on the cross-head and meshes with rack-bars2S', having the ears 25 at their outer ends for connecting with the rods24:. The crank 26 is supported on the spindle of the pinion 27, and acircular plate 29, bolted or screwed on the cross-head, has teeth aroundits edge engaged by a tooth on the under side of the crank, and thecrank being made, preferably, of spring metal, when turned to any givenplace will engage and lock itself, and thus hold said tooth-barswherever they are adjusted.

The cross-head and its securing-bolt are perforated for the passage ofthe pin 30, inserted when a continuous forward drive is to be made, asin moving the cultivator from place to place. e

I am aware that it is not broadly newy to provide a cultivator of thisclass with adjustable axles to change the direction of the wheels at thewill of the driver, nor to adjust the tooth or shovel-bars laterally byfixed or lever adjust-ments; but I am not aware that the means foraccomplishing these results, as herein shown and described, have everbefore been known or used.

I have particularized the details of the construction shown, but do notthereby wish to have it understood that the invention is limited exactlyto such details, as, obviously, equivalent mechanism is properly withinthe scope of the invention and the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a cultivator, the main frame, independent axles pivoted thereon, asliding crosshead supported on said frame'and connected with the shovel,shovel-beams, and rods connecting the axles and said cross-head,substantially as described.

2. In a cultivator, a cross-head adjustable laterally on the main frame,in combination with separately-pivoted axles and rods connecting theaxles and cross-head, the latter having connection with theshovel-beams, substantially as described.

3. In a cultivator, the main frame provided with hangers, and axlespivoted in said hangers and having treadles on their inner extremities,in combination with a laterallysliding cross-head to which said axlesare connected, substantially as described.

4. In a cultivator, a cross-head secured to the main frame and adaptedto slide laterally thereon, in combination with fixed hangers on saidframe, pivoted posts in said hangers carrying independent axles andtreadles, and means for operating said cross-head by the treadles,substantially as described.

5. In a cultivator, a cross-head having a slot, and a bolt or stud insaid slot securing the cross-head loosely to the frame and allowing itto slide thereon, in combination with separate axles connected with saidcross-head by rods and pivoted to turn horizontally, and linksconnecting the cross-head with the shovel-beams, substantially asdescribed.

6. In a cultivator, the main frame, hangers fixed on said frame, andposts provided with axles'and treadles pivoted in said hangers, incombination with a cross-head supported on the main frame and arrangedto slide laterally, and connections between the said posts and thecross-head, substantially as described.

7. In a cultivator, separate pivoted axles and a cross-head, and rodswith which said axles and cross-head are connected, in combination withshovel-bars and links or rods connecting said bars with the cross-head,substantially as described.

8. In a cultivator, a pair of separately-pivoted axles and treadles toturn the axles horizontally, in combination with a sliding cross-head towhich said axles are linked, and shovel-bars adjustably connected withthe said cross-head, whereby the wheels and the shovel-bars may besimultaneously turned in their direction, substantially as described.

9. In a cultivator, a cross-head 20 on the main frame and shovel-barsconnected therewith through guide-bars 23 and links 24:, in combinationwith independent horizontallypivoted axles 12 and 18, having treadles 17and connections 18 between the axles and the cross-head, substantiallyas described.

10. In a cultivator, a main frame, a crosshead arranged to slidelaterally upon the IOO IIO

IIS

frame, a pinion journaied in the cross-head, an upper toothed plate, anda crank upon the stein of the pinion held in adjustment by said p1ate,inCombination with the rack-bars, the rods secured to said rack-bars or tothe orosshead and VConnected to the shovel-bars, substantially as shownand described.

Witness my hand to the foregoing specification this 30th day ofDecember, 1889.

WALTER E. TAFT.

Witnesses:

T. W. WAKEMAN, J. W. HUTTON.

